Verifying References
I think verifying the contact information and relationship of the references as the time at enrollment and withdrawal/graduation would be a very powerful tool for making sure a student stays up to date with loan management.
Michael,
Verifying references while the student is still in school is a great way to begin a relationship with the reference that could be beneficial in the future.
Cheryl Kesson
I have a good experience talking to a reference written on the MPN. It was incomplete so I called to verify and having that experience established the fact that verifying students' contact is a powerful tool to build relationship.
Merilyn,
Verifying references is an excellent practice. You are not only verifying that the student left you good information but you are establishing a connection with the reference right from the beginning. Great work!
Cheryl Kesson
Once they leave school should we contact the student once a month for address and reference updates?
Dave,
Yes, verification is key, particularly throughout enrollment and during grace. Contacting a student in the months leading up to repayment will help you keep demographic data current, and will give the borrower ample opportunities to ask questions and decide if payments will be a problem. If a student is unemployed or undergoing financial hardship, they will be happy to know that your school is still interested in their welfare long after graduation or completion.
However, we also have to find ways to keep communication open without taxing a borrower’s interest and attention. The longer a student has been out of school, the less likely they are to respond to requests for information that do not offer them anything. Coordinating address and phone updates with communication from career services, for example, may entice a student more than form letters or generic requests.
Kellee Gunderson
I think verifying reference is a great idea. I had not thought about sending a letter or calling the reference before reading this information but it is a great way to introduce yourself and it is also a way to promote your school. You sending that letter may just be the motivation that person needed to go back to school.
Rosezza,
I am glad you liked this idea. I think taking that extra step to verify the references can be beneficial in more ways than one and is worth the investment.
Cheryl Kesson
I like that you mention motivation. For some students, knowing that friends and family are involved will motivate them to work harder toward graduation/completion. It also creates an opportunity for students to reach out to their own references, should they run into trouble. Knowing that a reference is invested in their education, struggling students may be less embarrassed or reluctant to ask for help and advice.
Also as you suggest, building a strong relationship with references can offer unexpected rewards- knowing that a friend or relative is pursuing an education and seeing how much the school's personnel care about student success may help promote your school!
What examples do you have for contacting a reference without wasting their time? I have always believed that communication is key but what about situations when people don't like their families or friends to be contacted. Also, does contacting these people violate certain privacy laws such as FERPA?
Melanie,
It's true most people don't want their friends or families called and sometimes just the thought of having their references called can keep them on track. However, if someone is behind and you are unable to reach them they have not left you any options but to reach out to their references. We often find that contacting a reference will not get us any new contact information but will most likely trigger a call from the borrower to find out why you were calling and allow you the chance to help them with their situation.
In order stay within privacy guidelines you do not want to release any of the borrowers personal information during the call. Let the reference know that you have some important information for the borrower,have been unable to reach them and since the borrower left their name as a reference ask if they can provide a way to contact them or pass on a message for you. Keep it short and simple and if the reference states they do not wish to be contacted any further thank them for their time and remove their number.
Cheryl Kesson
